Creme Egg Brownies

If you have been following me on Instagram, you will see I made scrummy Creme Egg Brownies a few days ago. Mmmmh-hmmm, you heard correctly!

This delicious combination is something everyone has heard off I’m sure, but I was skeptical to begin with. “Why” I hear you scream…Well brownies are already filled with chocolatey goodness which can be really heavy anyway, why make it stodgier?

I was wrong.

My lovely friend Lucy told me she made them the other night and I decided the temptation was too much. I needed to try this!!

Now, I’m not going to give you some fancy new recipe. That’s not really what I’m about. I love trying all sorts from recipe books and the internet, and decide which is best. Sure if the recipes already there are good, why try to improve?

Over the years I have made many a batch of brownies, some with delicious success and some a gooey mess. My favourite recipe by FAR is bbcgoodfood’s recipe for ‘Best Ever Brownies’ and they tell no lie.

The ingredients for INSANE brownies are:

185g unsalted butter 
185g best dark chocolate 
85g plain flour 
40g cocoa powder 
50g white chocolate 
50g milk chocolate 
3 large eggs 

275g golden caster sugar 

Last of all...don't forget 5 creme eggs.

So now, what do you do?
 
Turn the oven onto fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. I sometimes like it a little cooler at 150C with a longer cooking time so its still gooey but cooked through. But I’m getting ahead of myself…

Cut up the butter and dark chocolate into a bowl over a saucepan on low heat and let it melt together. Once it’s melted, set it aside and stir occasionally to help it cool.

Sieve the flour and cocoa powder into a small bowl.

Chop the white and milk chocolate into small pieces. If you still want chunks of chocolate throughout, then be sparing with the chopping. I sometimes just use all white chocolate to contrast nicely against the dark chocolate. So good!

Break 3 eggs into a large bowl and add the caster sugar. If you have electric mixer, say a big hallelujah and mix for around 3-5 minutes. If you’re a student like me and only have your two hands and a whisk, then get going because this could take a while. If you haven’t done your workout for the week – then you’re in luck! Keep whisking for 3-8 minutes by hand. Mix until the mixture is thick, creamy (they say like a milkshake) and double its original size.

Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mouse and fold together. Ah ah ah, gently does it!

Re-sieve the cocoa and flour mixture and fold in again. Remember to do the ‘figure 8’ for folding.

Stir in the chocolate chunks and TWO crushed creme eggs.

Pour the mixture into a prepared 20cm square tin with baking parchment to line it. We don’t want the brownies to stick forever to the base!

Pop in the heated oven for 30 minutes. It says 25 on the recipe, but I think you need the extra few minutes with the creme eggs now in it.

Now, cut in half your remaining 3 creme eggs.

About 5-10 minutes into baking the brownies, open up the oven door and if the brownies are slightly starting to harden then quickly take them out of the oven. Pop on your halved crime eggs and let them gently sink into the mixture. We don’t want the creme egg chocolate to melt into the brownies, but just nicely blend in.

Take out once the mixture stops wobbling and the top has a shiny, papery crust.

Leave it on the tabletop in the tin until the brownies have completely cooled. This is when the self-control needs to kick in.

Then cut them up and let the hungry mouths around you have a taste.

We loved them SO much that we didn’t even take them out of the tin, but the 3 of us devoured the whole thing with our forks at midnight. I promise you they are so good you will do the same.

I have now made 2 batches this week. Excessive, I think not!

I will let you into a little secret of mind - I even made a more 'blog pretty' batch to take pictures of...but sadly I got confident and forgot to add the flour. It was a really gooey mess which tasted amazing but did not look good. 
  
Happy baking everyone!